Taxing Patience in Pakistan

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British aid to Pakistan is set to double to about £450 million a year by 2015. Pakistan will thus become the biggest recipient of UK overseas aid. Quite apart from the obvious humanitarian aspect, there are good reasons for the British Government to prioritise Pakistan. Aid is a form of diplomacy, and it is strategically vital that Pakistan is not taken over by those actively hostile to the West. Improved education, which accounts for half of the UK aid sent, can provide a vital bulwark against extremism. Pakistan is a potentially large market for British exports. Moreover, the two countries